SM UB-37
SM UB-37 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 28 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 June 1916 as SM UB-37.[Note 1]
SM UB-45 a U-boat similar to UB-37 | |
History | |
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German Empire | |
Name: | UB-37 |
Ordered: | 22 July 1915[1] |
Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[1] |
Cost: | 1,152,000 German Papiermark[2] |
Yard number: | 261[3] |
Launched: | 28 December 1915[3] |
Completed: | 10 June 1916[3] |
Commissioned: | 17 June 1916[2] |
Fate: | sunk by British Q ship 14 January 1917[2] |
General characteristics [2] | |
Class and type: | German Type UB II submarine |
Displacement: |
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Length: |
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Beam: |
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Draught: | 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in) |
Propulsion: |
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Speed: |
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Range: |
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Test depth: | 50 m (160 ft) |
Complement: | 2 officers, 21 men |
Armament: |
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Notes: | 42-second diving time |
Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: | |
Operations: | 10 patrols |
Victories: |
The submarine sank 31 ships in ten patrols.[6] UB-37 was sunk by British Q ship HMS Penshurst in the English Channel on 14 January 1917.[2]
The wreck of UB-37 was identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 1999.
Design
A German Type UB II submarine, UB-37 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-37 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[2]
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[7] |
---|---|---|---|---|
21 July 1916 | Samsø | Denmark | 388 | Damaged |
22 July 1916 | Bams | Norway | 308 | Sunk |
22 July 1916 | Ida | Sweden | 302 | Sunk |
22 July 1916 | Juno | Norway | 355 | Sunk |
22 July 1916 | Preference | Sweden | 222 | Sunk |
22 July 1916 | Subra | Norway | 580 | Sunk |
9 August 1916 | Danevang | Denmark | 1,247 | Sunk |
11 August 1916 | Rufus | Norway | 202 | Sunk |
13 August 1916 | Fremad | Norway | 104 | Sunk |
13 August 1916 | Pepita | Sweden | 261 | Sunk |
13 August 1916 | Respit | Norway | 473 | Sunk |
10 September 1916 | Zeemeeuv | Netherlands | 400 | Captured as a prize |
23 September 1916 | Dresden | United Kingdom | 807 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Pearl | United Kingdom | 613 | Sunk |
24 September 1916 | Oceanien | France | 60 | Sunk |
25 September 1916 | Afrique | France | 1,743 | Sunk |
24 October 1916 | Twig | United Kingdom | 128 | Sunk |
13 November 1916 | Our Boys | United Kingdom | 63 | Sunk |
13 November 1916 | Superb | United Kingdom | 50 | Sunk |
28 November 1916 | Diligence | United Kingdom | 42 | Sunk |
28 November 1916 | Amphitrite | United Kingdom | 44 | Sunk |
28 November 1916 | Catena | United Kingdom | 36 | Sunk |
28 November 1916 | Provident | United Kingdom | 38 | Sunk |
28 November 1916 | Sea Lark | United Kingdom | 42 | Sunk |
28 November 1916 | Lynx | United Kingdom | 43 | Damaged |
30 November 1916 | Concord | United Kingdom | 51 | Sunk |
1 December 1916 | Erich Lindøe | Norway | 1,097 | Sunk |
4 December 1916 | Fofo | Greece | 2,615 | Sunk |
6 December 1916 | Halfdan | Denmark | 1,305 | Sunk |
7 December 1916 | Marguerite Dollfus | France | 1,948 | Sunk |
5 January 1917 | Asta | Norway | 573 | Sunk |
7 January 1917 | Hansi | Norway | 1,142 | Sunk |
10 January 1917 | Tuborg | Denmark | 2,056 | Sunk |
14 January 1917 | Norma | Denmark | 1,997 | Sunk |
14 January 1917 | HMS Penshurst | Royal Navy | 1,191 | Damaged |
Notes
- "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
References
- Rössler 1979, p. 64.
- Gröner 1991, pp. 23-25.
- Rössler 1979, p. 65.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Valentiner (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Paul Günther". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- Bendert 2000, p. 196.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 37". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
Bibliography
- Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)